Sony TCD-D3

1 9 9 0 1990
1 9 9 3
Plus
1993+

Sony's first palm-sized portable DAT recorder, weighing a mere 430g.
Ok - 630g with the batteries but still quite light when compared to the fully professional TCD-D10 !

The "D" in D3 stands for "Densuke" : a 1950s successful japanese newspaper cartoon which featured an early Sony portable recorder. The name of the character stuck and Sony used it until 2005.

Costing the same price as the contemporary DTC-55ES, portable digital wasn't exactly cheap but it was so much better : many concerts -bootlegs or not- were taped with this little engine.

With a 64fs a/d converter, 8fs playback digital filter and dual 18bit d/a converters, the D3 offered fair sound at the fraction of the weight of a... PCM-F1 :)

Being miniaturized as it were, the D3 sported a special 7-pin interface which served as digital ports and 2,5mm minijacks for analog connections.
Therefore, one accessory became much sought after when the D3 was replaced by the TCD-D7 : RM-D3K. It allowed convenient home use with wireless RM, timer functions and regular TOS and coaxial ports.

However, being miniaturized as it were, the D3 was based on 4-layer surface-mount boards and half-size drum-heads and that meant... a pain to repair.

At any rate, Sony sold thousands and thousands and thousands of TCD-D3s and the later TCD-D7 and TCD-D8 would carry on that trusting market share - deservedly so.

Sony TCD-D3, image 1 Sony TCD-D3, image 2 Sony TCD-D3, image 3
Sony TCD-D3 specifications
Title Value
Recording time : 120 minutes
240 minutes (LP mode)
Tape speed : 8,15mm/s
4,075mm/s (LP mode)
Drum rotation : 2000rpm (SP)
2000rpm (LP playback)
1000rpm (SP record)
Sampling frequency : 48 / 44,1 / 32Khz (SP)
32Khz (LP)
A/D conversion : 16-bit linear (SP)
12-bit non-linear (LP)
Frequency response : 20Hz...22Khz (±1dB, 48Khz)
20Hz...20Khz (±1dB, 44,1Khz)
20Hz...14,5Khz (±1dB, 32Khz & LP)
S/N ratio : > 90dB (line in, 1Khz, SP & LP)
Dynamic range : > 90dB (line in, 1Khz, SP & LP)
THD : < 0,008% (line in, 1Khz, SP)
Wow & flutter : nada
Analog inputs : mic / line (stereo minijack wih 20dB att. for MIC input)
Analog outputs : stereo minijack (line out)
stereo minijack (headphones)
Digital i/os : 7-pin jack for optical and coaxial interface
MIC DC-out jack : 2,5mm Super minijack, 5V output
Power requirements : 6V DC with BP-D3 rechargeable battery
9V DC with ACP-D3U AC adaptor
9V DC with CPM-D3 car mounting arm
Dimensions : 8,52 x 4 x 12,01cm
8,52 x 4 x 14,59cm (with battery)
Weight : 420g
630g (with battery)
Supplied accessories : BP-D3 NiCad battery pack
ACP-D3U AC adaptor/recharger
POC-DA12 optical input/output
Optional accessories : RM-3DK system adaptor
CPA-2 cassette adaptor
CPM-D3 car mounting arm
ACP-D33 multi-voltage adaptor
LCH-D3 hard carrying case
RK-DA10 coaxial input cable
DT-10CL cleaning cassette
POC-15 optical cable
Features : 1-hour charge NiCad batteries with 2-hours autonomy
99-tracks AMS search at x100 speed
x3 or x25 music search
auto/manual 3-seconds ID marking
ID renumber function
16-times rehersal ID marking
10-seconds ID shifting
page online since : may 2007
page updated : not yet
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 239.84 Kb / 0 b
  • TVK Talk Forum
  • TVK Museum
  • Specials
  • Timelines
  • Utilities
  • Games